Acupuncture facts for kids
Acupuncture is an old type of medical treatment that started in China. It's about 2,500 years old! In acupuncture, very thin metal needles are gently placed into specific spots on a person's body. These spots are called "acupuncture points."
Acupuncture is a part of alternative medicine and is a big part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It uses ideas from the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture is based on the idea that your body has energy pathways called "meridians." When these pathways are blocked, it can cause pain or sickness. Acupuncture aims to unblock these pathways by placing needles at special points. This helps your body's energy flow better.
Is Acupuncture Effective?
Scientists and doctors have different ideas about how well acupuncture works. It's hard to do perfect studies on it.
Some research suggests that acupuncture might help with pain. However, many studies show that its effects might be mostly due to the placebo effect. This means that people feel better because they believe the treatment will work, not just because of the needles themselves. For example, sometimes "fake" acupuncture (where needles aren't really inserted deeply) works just as well as "real" acupuncture.
The benefits of acupuncture often don't last very long. Also, there isn't enough strong evidence to say that acupuncture is better than regular medical treatments for most conditions in the long term.
Acupuncture Today
Acupuncture has become more popular in Western countries, like the United States. People often use it to help manage pain, especially for headaches and arthritis. It is also sometimes used for asthma.
Most experts agree that acupuncture is safe if a well-trained doctor uses clean needles.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK suggests that acupuncture might be an option for:
- Long-lasting lower back pain
- Frequent tension-type headaches
- Migraines
Images for kids
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One type of acupuncture needle
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Acupuncture needles
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Traditional and modern Japanese guiding tube needles
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Old Chinese medical chart of acupuncture meridians
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Modern acupuncture model
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Acupuncture chart from the Ming dynasty (c. 1368 – c. 1644)
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Acupuncture chart from Shisi jing fahui (Expression of the Fourteen Meridians) written by Hua Shou (fl. 1340s, Ming dynasty). Japanese reprint by Suharaya Heisuke (Edo, 1. year Kyōhō = 1716).
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An ancient Acupuncture statue at the lobby of the Emperor's College clinic, California
See also
In Spanish: Acupuntura para niños
